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California Dairy Cow Diets Offer a Model of Upcycling and Aid Climate Goals

BY JOE YOGERST

JANUARY 26, 2022 11:00 AM

It’s no longer just about hay. One of the ways that California’s dairy industry is focusing on sustainability is through what cows are fed.

Advances in livestock diets and feed quality have played a pivotal role in helping the American dairy industry produce 60 percent more milk since the 1950s while decreasing the number of cows from 25 to nine million.

“Dairy cows are probably better fed in terms of an overall balanced diet than the average adult in California or elsewhere,” says Denise Mullinax, director of the California Dairy Research Foundation. “That’s because dairy producers work with nutrition consultants to help formulate diets that meet all of the animals’ requirements.”